Department for Transport

Motorways: Accidents

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 11 February (HL1193), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, how many people have been killed on smart motorways to date.

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 11 February(HL1194), whether they will now answer the question put, namely,which minister or official made the decision to build smart motorways in the UK; and when that decision was made.

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 11 February(HL1195), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what plans they have to reintroduce the use of hard shoulders on such motorways while the safety of smart motorways is assessed, following reports of safety concerns and the deaths of drivers using smart motorways.

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 11 February(HL1196), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what advice they have received from the police about the safety of smart motorways.

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 11 February(HL1197), whether they will now answer the question put, namely,how many miles of smart motorways have been created to date; what has been the total cost of that work; how many miles of such motorways are planned; and what is the estimated cost of such work.

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 11 February(HL1198), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they made of the safety of smart motorways, or similar schemes, operating in other countries before introducing them in the UK.

baroness vere of norbiton: As stated in my previous response on 11 February, we want our roads to be as safe as possible. That is why the Secretary of State asked the Department to carry out an evidence stocktake to gather the facts about the safety of smart motorways and make recommendations. The Department will present the findings of the stocktake shortly. While I would not want to pre-judge the results of that work, what I can say is that we will continue to prioritise improving safety – making conditions safer for everyone on our roads. I will write to you as soon as the stocktake is completed to answer your specific questions.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Electricity

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Duncan of Springbank on 3 February (HL829), what was the peak electricity requirement in 2019; and how much they estimate it will be in 2032.

lord callanan: The peak electricity requirement for Great Britain in 2019 was estimated by National Grid in their Future Energy Scenarios to be 989 -1051 TWh/year and in 2032 it is estimated to be 755 – 1000 TWh/year. Actual peak demand for 2019 will be available at the end of February 2020.

Energy

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 3 February (HL829), whether they expect the UKto require less energy in 2032 than at present.

lord callanan: National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios (2019) estimate that GB is likely to require less energy in 2032 than at present. For 2019 the forecast energy requirement is estimated to be between 989 and 1051 TWh/year, in 2032 the amount of energy required falls to 755 – 1000 TWh/year. Actual peak demand for 2019 will be available at the end of February 2020.

Electricity Generation: Carbon Emissions

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what method produces the greatest quantity of low carbon electricity in the UK at present.

lord callanan: UK electricity generation data are published by the department in Energy Trends tables 5.1 and 6.1. Wind produced the most low carbon electricity in the latest published 12 month period, from October 2018 to September 2019. Provisional figures for 2019 will be published in Energy Trends on Thursday 26th March.

Crowdfunding

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Duncan of Springbank on 28 January (HL579),whether the confidentiality agreements cover the aggregation of data for a number of unidentified peer-to-peer platforms; whether the same wording is included in all agreements with peer-to-peer platforms; and whether this wording is proposed by the Government or the peer-to-peer lender.

lord callanan: Confidentiality agreements between the British Business Bank and peer-to-peer lenders do not deal with aggregated data relating to multiple different platforms. The British Business Bank does not aggregate peer-to-peer data from different platforms for reporting purposes. Given the very small number of peer-to-peer platforms we invest in, we could not publish aggregate default rates without compromising confidentiality in relation to individual platforms. In keeping with our commercial approach, we do however continually monitor the market and carry out extensive due diligence on any peer-to-peer lender before entering any commercial agreement with them. Once an arrangement is in place, we receive regular data on the performance of our loan book to ensure that this is in line with the contractual expectations we have made with them. Different confidentiality agreements between the Bank and peer-to-peer delivery partners do not contain the same wording. The wording of each individual agreement is agreed jointly by the British Business Bank and the individual peer-to-peer lender, but they reflect delivery partner expectations, as is standard in the market.

New Businesses: Artificial Intelligence

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that UK-based artificial intelligence start-ups are not acquired by dominant market players.

lord callanan: Under the Enterprise Act 2002, consideration of the competition aspects of mergers and takeovers in the UK is handled by the independent Competition and Markets Authority or, in some cases during the Transition Period, the European Commission. In March last year, the Digital Competition Expert Panel, led by Professor Jason Furman, made a series of recommendations for how the UK’s competition framework can face the challenges posed by digital markets. The Government welcomed this report and is carefully considering the Panel’s recommendations. The Government will respond in due course.

Digital Technology: Takeovers

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that the acquisition of smaller companies by Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft or Google is transparent.

lord callanan: In March last year, the Digital Competition Expert Panel, led by Professor Jason Furman, made a series of recommendations for how the UK’s competition framework can face the challenges posed by digital markets. The Government welcomed this report and is carefully considering the Panel’s recommendations. The Government will respond in due course.

Business: Billing

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government which businesses have been removed from the Prompt Payment Code due to non-compliance.

lord callanan: Since the Government announced its new tough and transparent compliance regime for the Prompt Payment Code, 66 businesses have been suspended from the Code while 34 of those have subsequently been reinstated, having committed to improve their treatment of suppliers, thus demonstrating compliance. The improved payment practices of those businesses who were suspended and reinstated demonstrates the effectiveness of the Code in positively changing payment behaviours. A full list of companies can be found within the related press releases on the website of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management.

Small Businesses: Billing

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the amount owed to UK SMEsas a result of late payment.

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the survey by Pay.UK, published in November 2019, showing that the amount owed to small businesses in late payments increased from £13billion in 2018 to £23.4billion in 2019.

lord callanan: There are several organisations that have produced estimates for outstanding late payment debt, and the disparities between them can be sizeable due to different methodologies and sample sizes. The government keeps estimates under continuous review, including Pay.UK figures. Late payments are a drain on productivity and have an immediate impact on cashflow, particularly for small businesses. This Government made a manifesto commitment to clamp down on late payment more broadly and strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner to support small business that are exploited by their larger partners.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Africa: Trade Agreements

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage countries in Africa to sign up to the African Continental Free Trade Area.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: 54 of the African Union's 55 member states have signed the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and 28 of those have so far deposited their instruments of ratification with the African Union Commission (AUC). The UK is supporting the initiative by providing technical assistance, including the secondment of an investment expert to the AUC. We are also spending over £400 million annually across Africa to help countries break down barriers to trade - supporting critical trade infrastructure like ports and roads; tackling burdensome regulations, high transport costs and delays at customs; and building trade skills so that partner countries are better able to take advantage of trading opportunities. The AfCFTA was an area of focus in the trade and investment session at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London on 20 January, with AUC Chairperson Faki outlining progress to date to UK investors.

Arms Trade: Exports

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposals in the report by John Deverell for OxfamA Process for Arms Exports: Fulfilling Criterion 2C of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licencing Criteria, published on 6 February.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government has been made aware of the contents of the report published on 6 February by John Deverell for Oxfam entitled A Process for Arms Exports: Fulfilling Criterion 2C of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licencing Criteria, and has noted them fully. The Government has some of the most stringent exports rules in the world and will not issue an export licence where it considers there is a clear risk that the goods might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. We already draw on a range of sources in making assessments, including from non-governmental organisations and international organisations, and welcome any further information or proposals they choose to provide.

Islamic State: Genocide

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that children born out of rape of the victims of Daesh genocide are being left in orphanages; what assistance they offer to such children; and what steps they are taking to combat any stigma or discrimination such children face.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are appalled by reports that children born out of rape of the victims of Daesh violence are being left in orphanages. Children born of Daesh-perpetrated sexual violence remain particularly vulnerable and present significant protection challenges. We continue to engage with the Government of Iraq on the importance of ensuring children born of sexual violence can attend school and access healthcare.

BBC Persian Service

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the harassment of BBC Persian staff in London, and (2) reports that such staff's families in Iran have been (a) called in for questioning, (b) had their passports confiscated, and (c) threatened with consequences if their relatives continue to work for the BBC; and what representations they have made to the government of Iran about the treatment of journalists.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We condemn the judicial persecution of family members of employees and ex-employees of BBC Persian, and are deeply concerned by the reports of any threats against journalists in the UK. The British Government is committed to the promotion of media freedom which is vital to functioning societies and that journalists must be able to investigate and report as they see fit. We regularly raise human rights with the Iranian authorities at all levels and we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues including restrictions on media freedom. On 29 January, the UK alongside Canada co-hosted the first official meeting of the Media Freedom Coalition in Geneva, a partnership of 35 countries working together to advocate the safety of journalists worldwide and to defend media freedom.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made ofthe report produced by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rightswhich alleges that, between 23 and 29 January, Israel committed 262 violations of international law against Palestinians.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not made an assessment of this report, we have a regular dialogue with the Government of Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. We continue to urge Israel to ensure it abides by its obligations under international law.

Hebron: Offences against Children

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyare making to the government of Israelabout the reported beating of athreeyear old Palestinian child by Israeli settlers in front of Israeli forces in Hebron.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of these reports. We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv last raised this issue with the Israeli authorities on 17 December 2019. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Hebron: Press Freedom

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyare making to the government of Israel about the reportedinjuries to journalists caused by Israeli forces in Hebron.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is committed to the promotion of media freedom and the protection of journalists, as an essential element of democracy and an important attribute of human rights. We urge Israel to investigate any such cases in which journalists are injured or killed while doing their jobs.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 January (HL664), whether they will now answer the question put, namely,what assessment they have made of reports of children working in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what measures they are taking to assess the dangers to children working in such mines; and what action they plan to take to help eliminate child labour and promote safe working conditions in those mines.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is deeply concerned by continued reports of children working in the artisanal mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). UK officials monitor trends in child labour in mining in DRC, including by working closely with partners such as the UN Joint Human Rights Organisation who report human rights abuses in DRC. The UK is fully committed to seeing an end to such practices by 2030 as laid out in the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development. UK officials have raised our concerns about child labour with the DRC Government. In addition, as an active member of the Voluntary Principles Initiative, a multi-stakeholder initiative focussed on improving human rights adherence in the extractives sector, the UK has pressed the DRC Government and local actors in the mining sector to adhere to the principles of the Initiative. In DRC, the British Government has provided funding to the "Effective Approaches to Ending the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Fragile Contexts" programme, which brings together a consortium of NGOs, local partners, private sector and media development agencies to develop innovative approaches to ending child labour. This includes tackling supply and demand issues which result in child labour in fragile states. The UK has also funded work by the Carter Centre, working with civil society and mining companies, to improve transparency and governance in the mining sector.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 January (HL666), whether they will now answer the question put, namely,what plans they have to impose sanctions and use UK aid to help combat child labour in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and whether they plan to require UK companies sourcing cobalt to establish an independent verification system that would ensure that their supply chains are free from exploitation, unsafe working conditions, slavery and child labour.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Under the Modern Slavery Act, all large businesses operating in the UK with a turnover of £36m or more are required to publish an annual transparency statement detailing what steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery from occurring in their business and supply chains. EU and UN sanctions regimes are in place to tackle human rights violations and abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UK will continue to impose EU sanctions during the Transition Period. In 2018, the UK increased the amount of Official Development Assistance spent internationally on modern slavery to over £200 million. This will be used to tackle the root causes by creating jobs and livelihoods, changing business and recruitment practices, building capacity for law enforcement, and protecting victims. There will be a particular focus on the most vulnerable including children, women and girls. In DRC, the UK has contributed to "Effective Approaches to Ending the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Fragile Contexts" programme, which brings together a consortium of NGOs, local partners, private sector and media development agencies to develop innovative approaches to ending child labour. This includes tackling supply and demand issues which result in child labour in fragile states. As an active member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the UK encourage states and those working in the industry to implement the OECD's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High Risk Areas. Through project funding, we have supported the OECD to disseminate, and encourage the use of, this guidance and run capacity-building projects to implement it.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China shipped more than 10,000 tons of oil to North Korea in the last four months of 2019; and whether theyintend to highlight those reports at the next UN Security Council meeting.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is committed to upholding sanctions on North Korea and is working with international partners to curtail North Korea's nuclear and missile capability. The UK is concerned about North Korea's evasion of UN sanctions, including via ship-to-ship transfers of unrefined petroleum. We think it highly likely that North Korea has breached the cap in oil imports permitted under UN Security Council resolutions. We have raised our concerns with UN Security Council members, including China. Sanctions must remain in place until North Korea denuclearises.

Bahrain: Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the allegations in the report published by eight UN Special Rapporteurs on 1 November 2019 that officials from the National Institute for Human Rights in Bahrain “dismissed” complaints made by female prisoners and “threatened” an inmate with being returned to prison if she spoke to “anyone from abroad” about her experience; and what assessment they have made of the efficacy of any UK funding to that body.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government takes note of a number of sources of information on Bahrain, including publications and statements from non-governmental organisations. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into allegations of human rights violations.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyhave made to the government of Israel about reports that a Palestinian policeman was killed inside a police station in Jenin on 6 February.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made representations on this specific case, but have regular discussions with the Government of Israel about allegations of mistreatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody, and Israel's obligations as an occupying power under international law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised this issue on 16 December 2019.

Zimbabwe: Economic Situation

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) economic, and (2) food security, situation in Zimbabwe.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Zimbabwean economy faces severe challenges and the economic situation remains fragile. Our Embassy in Harare continues to monitor developments closely, encouraging the Government of Zimbabwe to implement the Staff Monitored Programme (which runs until March this year) agreed with the International Monetary Fund. Our Ambassador discussed the economic crisis facing the country and reinforced the need for comprehensive political and economic reform and the protection of the poorest during her meeting with Vice President Chiwenga on 9 December 2019.Humanitarian needs are rising in Zimbabwe due to the combination of poor and erratic rains and a deteriorating economic situation. Recent analysis shows that without support 5.5 million people in rural areas and 2.2 million in urban areas will not have access to the food they need. This represents 47% of the total population and 59% of rural population. In response to these needs, the Department for International Development has committed £49 million through a new Zimbabwe Humanitarian and Resilience Programme to support people who do not have access to the food they need.

Foreign Relations

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which foreign leaders, or their representatives, each Department hasmet since the 2019 General Election.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The information is not readily available/held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost

China: Coronavirus

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the World Health Organisation about the WHO's statement that the government of China had been open with information about coronavirus.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: UK and like-minded representatives have discussed this issue at the highest level of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and reiterated that sharing correct data through the WHO is vital in order to effectively counter the spread of Coronavirus. We have emphasised that politics should have no place in the process and the focus should be on the science and correct public health measures.

Bahrain: Human Rights

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are in place to track the effectiveness of courses in improving human rights improvements provided in Bahrain as part of the Integrated Activity Fund.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government monitors programmes and projects under the Integrated Activity Fund throughout the project lifecycle to ensure that they are on track to deliver expected outcomes.

Department of Health and Social Care

Care Homes

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many care(1) homes, and (2) beds, in England, broken down by region, are operated by (a) local authorities, (b) private firms, and (c) charities.

lord bethell: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has provided information relating to care homes that fall within the Market Oversight scheme.The following table shows Market Oversight CQC registered care home beds and locations, by region, as at 1 February 2020Number of care home bedsRegionFor profitNot for profitTotalEast Midlands10,3721,99112,363East of England13,6263,17316,799London8,7773,72812,505North East9,2071,29110,498North West14,4373,44517,882South East18,7196,83325,552South West8,1664,41412,580West Midlands10,7853,89714,682Yorkshire and the Humber9,7883,28113,069Totals103,87732,053135,930 Number of care home locationsRegionFor-profitNot-for-profitTotalEast Midlands27670346East of England29596391London201110311North East19837235North West28094374South East492223715South West242135377West Midlands278114392Yorkshire and the Humber23174305Totals2,4939533,446

Care Homes: Derbyshire

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with Derbyshire County Council about its plans to close a number of directcare homes for older people.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the proposal by Derbyshire County Council to close Ladycross Care Home, particularly in respect of the cost of remediation of the home compared tothe costs of reparation of other homes which are scheduled to remain open.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the impact on the health and well-being of residents as a result of having to leave their care home because of the proposals by Derbyshire County Council to close a number of direct care homes for older people.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey have any plans to make a grant to Derbyshire County Council to enable it to improve the condition of its direct care homes for older people.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether, on the basis of evidence contained in the submission to the Derbyshire County Council Cabinet on 23 January, suitable alternatives exist for residents to go to if they are forced to leave their care home as a result of the proposals by that Council to close a number of direct care homes for older people.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss with Derbyshire County Council its proposals to close Ladycross House direct care home; and whether any such discussion will cover the findings of the condition survey commissioned by that Councilinto the building and site.

lord bethell: Commissioning social care services is a matter for local authorities who are best placed to understand the needs of local people and communities, and how best to meet them. The Department therefore has no plans to discuss with Derbyshire County Council its proposals to close a number of direct care homes for older people, including Ladycross Care Home. We therefore have also not made an assessment of the impact of these closures on the health and well-being of residents, or of suitable alternatives for residents. The Department does support local authorities by funding a number of sector-led improvement activities. These are delivered in partnership with the Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.In addition, we are providing councils with access to an additional £1.0 billion for adults and children’s social care next year through the new social care grant and the ability to raise over £500 million from the additional 2% precept. This is on top of £2.5 billion of existing grants provided by the Government.Derbyshire County Council is set to receive an additional £15.7 million from the new Social Care Grant and could raise up to £7.5 million of additional funding specifically for adult social care in 2020-21 through the precept.

Foetuses: Pain

lord mccrea of magherafelt and cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the article by Dr Stuart W G Derbyshire and John C Bockmann Reconsidering fetal pain, published in the British Medical Journal’s Journal of Medical Ethics in January; and what steps they are taking as a result of any such assessment.

lord bethell: The Department does not set clinical practice. To support clinical practice, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has considered the issue of fetal pain and awareness in its guideline on Fetal Awareness: Review of Research and Recommendations for Practice.The Department has brought the article by Dr Stuart W G Derbyshire and John C Bockmann to the attention of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. It is for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to consider whether to revise the guidelines having considered the available evidence.

Medical Records: Data Protection

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that their commitment for all health and care organisations to be compliant with the national data opt-out policy by 2020 will be met following the closure of the National Data Opt Out programme.

lord bethell: Organisations are required to comply with the National Data Opt-out by 31 March 2020.Local health and adult social care organisations as Data Controllers are required to assure themselves that they are complying with the opt out requirements. This requirement is set out in Information Standards Notice DCB3058. Organisations are also obligated to ensure the organisation’s privacy notice reflects that they apply the opt out.Organisations must confirm their compliance with the opt out when submitting their annual Data Security and Protection (DSP) toolkit return. All organisations that have access to National Health Service patient data and systems must use this toolkit to provide assurance that they are practising good data security and that personal information is handled correctly. Information on which organisations have achieved ‘standards met’ on the DSP toolkit will be published in due course by NHS Digital.

Liothyronine

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report T3 Prescribing Survey Report, published on 7 February; and in particular the reported failure by Clinical Commissioning Groups to follow NHS England’s Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee’s revised Guidance–Prescribing of Liothyronine, published in July 2019.

lord bethell: We have made no such assessment.NHS England and NHS Improvement along with NHS Clinical Commissioners’ latest guidance for clinical commissioning groups, taking into account comments from the British Thyroid Association, was published in June 2019. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also published guidelines in November 2019 stating that liothyronine should not be offered routinely for primary hypothyroidism, either alone, or in combination with levothyroxine.Representatives of NHS England and NHS Improvement and NHS Clinical Commissioners met with representatives from the Thyroid Trust, Healthwatch England, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath and Lord Borwick of Hawkshead on 13 February 2020. NHS England and NHS Improvement will clarify guidance within the National Health Service system. This guidance will set out that the recommendation of the clinical working group was that liothyronine should not be routinely prescribed in primary care; but there may be circumstances where prescribing of the medication is clinically appropriate for individual patients as determined by endocrinologists providing NHS services, after a carefully audited trial of at least three months duration of the medicine.

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: Human Trafficking

lord mcconnell of glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action the Department of International Development is taking to (1) protect girls from trafficking and exploitation in crises, and (2) provide support for survivors of trafficking.

baroness sugg: Since 2017 the UK Government has more than doubled UK Aid investment to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking to over £200 million. DFID programmes seek to tackle the root causes of modern slavery and human trafficking by addressing the permissive environments which allow slavery to exist and supporting the most vulnerable to escape slavery – particularly children, women and girls.For example, we have reached over 380,000 women and girls through our flagship £10 million Work in Freedom Programme, which aims to reduce vulnerability to trafficking and the forced labour of women and girls in South Asia and Arab States.DFID’s Strategic Vision on Gender Equality sets out our ambition to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls during emergencies, when the challenges and needs are particularly acute. We have increased our resources and expanded our programmes to tackle violence against women and girls in more than 30 countries.Full details of current programmes can be found at https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk.

Ministry of Justice

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to undertake a review of Part Three of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012; and if so, when.

lord keen of elie: There are no current plans to review Part Three of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

Prisoners: Self-harm and Suicide

lord patel of bradford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in adult prisons in England and Wales were involved in (1) self-harm incidents, and (2) self-inflicted deaths, in 2019; and how many of those had a mental health problem.

lord keen of elie: The Government publishes quarterly statistics on self-harm in prison - the latest version provides figures up to September 2019. We also publish annual death in custody statistics, all of which are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics. There were 84 self-inflicted deaths in custody between Jan to Dec 2019, of which all 84 were in adult prisons. There were 10,651 individuals self-harming in custody between Jan to Sept 2019, of which 10,421 were in adult prisons. The Ministry of Justice cannot provide the information on how many of these individuals had a mental health problem as we do not hold clinical data.

Department for International Trade

Ayman Asfari

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the former International Trade Secretary, the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, sought advice as to how to manage any perceived conflicts of interest arising from Ayman Asfari’s political donations, before he wrote a letter, whilst International Trade Secretary, to the Bahraini Crown Prince lobbying on behalf of Mr Asfari's company Petrofac.

viscount younger of leckie: Advice was sought following the launch of the Serious Fraud Office investigation into Petrofac in May 2017 and that advice was followed by the Department. All dealings with the company have been according to normal departmental protocols.

Home Office

Prevent Oversight Board

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prevent Oversight Board, as referenced in the statutory guidance published in accordance with the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, still exists; and if so, (1) what is its current membership, and (2) when it last met.

baroness williams of trafford: The Prevent Oversight Board is currently in existence. The Board membership includes Ministerial and Director-level representatives and their equivalents across the following Whitehall departments:Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, Counter Terrorism Police Headquarters (CTPHQ), Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), Welsh Government, Scottish Government, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Security Services, Cabinet Office, and Charity Commission.Departments and agencies which are not listed as standing members can be invited as required.The Board last convened in November 2018.

Domestic Abuse: Immigrants

baroness penn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the period of time that victims of domestic abuse who are applying for indefinite leave to remain can claim public funds under the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession.

baroness penn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that all migrants who have been victims of domestic violence have access to the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession and other support.

baroness williams of trafford: In response to the recommendations from the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill, the Government committed to review the scope and duration of the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession.We have carefully considered the Committee’s recommendations and the evidence provided by stakeholders on the issue. The evidence gathering stage of the review into support levels for migrant victims of domestic abuse has now completed and its findings are being considered.

Cabinet Office

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants were employed by the Department for Exiting the European Union at the time of its winding up on 31 January.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants (1) were offered, (2) have accepted, and (3) have rejected, redundancy as a result of the winding up of the Department for Exiting the European Union on 31 January.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants employed at the Department for Exiting the European Union at its winding up on 31 January have now been deployed to permanent positions in other Government departments.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants have, as a result of the winding up of the Department for Exiting the European Union on 31 January, (1) been offered, (2) accepted, and (3) rejected, offers of other civil service roles with a lower level of overall remuneration.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contract staff have had their roles terminated as a result of the winding up of the Department for Exiting the European Union on 31 January.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether departmental ministers serving at the Department for Exiting the European Union immediately before its winding up on 31 January have received compensation for the loss of their role; and if so, how much.

lord true: The Department for Exiting the European Union did not directly employ any of its staff, other than the Permanent Secretary.Everyone who worked for The Department for Exiting the European Union was transferred to the Cabinet Office on January 31st on level transfer under principles set out in the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector (COSoP). Staff remain on their existing terms and conditions. Therefore no one has been offered, accepted, or rejected redundancy as a result of the closure. Fewer than five contractors were terminated early as a result of the winding up of the department.Details of all staff transfers to other government departments have not yet been finalised.Arrangements for any severance payment will be made in line with the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord palmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what employment package the minister responsible for the implementation of HS2 will receive.

lord true: The list of Ministerial responsibilities is available on gov.uk. An updated list will be published in due course. Ministerial salaries are published on gov.uk and set in accordance with the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.

Subversion: Russia

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Prime Minister is expected to finish his consideration of the report by the Intelligence and Security Committee into alleged Russian interference in UK democracy; and when they estimate that report to be published.

lord true: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given by Earl Howe to PQ HL274 on 9 January 2020.

Treasury

Occupational Pensions: Tax Allowances

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 31 October 2018 (HL10750),how many (1) women, and (2) men,recorded in HMRC’s Real Time Information records, earnt below £12,500 and contributed to a net pay arrangement in the last tax year.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 31 October 2018 (HL10750), how many (1) women, and (2) men, recorded in HMRC’s Real Time Information records, contributed to a relief at source pension scheme in the last tax year.

lord agnew of oulton: HMRC’s Survey of Personal Income (SPI) and administrative data was used to produce the estimates that follow. 2016-17 is the latest year where SPI data is available. The personal allowance in 2016/17 was £11,000, not £12,500 (which is the current personal allowance for 2019-20). HMRC estimates that a total of 6.8m individuals made workplace pension contributions using relief at source via RTI in 2016-17. Around 45% of these individuals are estimated to be female and 55% are estimated to be male. HMRC estimates that 1.3m individuals earning below the personal allowance in 2016-17 made workplace pension contributions via Real Time Information (RTI) using net pay arrangements. Around 75% of these individuals are estimated to be female and 25% are estimated to be male.